How do I build real mechanic-level skills when my daily driver is my only car?

Posted by Ok_Price_9780@reddit | askcarguys | View on Reddit | 24 comments

Btw I already have an established career, so this is just a hobby.

I have a 1998 Chevy Monte Carlo Z34 (3.8L), and over time I’ve started doing most of my own repairs. Nothing extreme, but simple things like brake calipers/rotors/pads, window regulators, HVAC actuators, simple electrical work, AC control module, serpentine belt, etc.

The problem is every single one of those jobs took me forever, and this is my only car. So every repair turns into a stressful situation where I can’t really afford to mess up or have the car down for days.

I want to learn more advanced skills, eventually things like bigger engine work, transmission work, and even welding/fabrication. But I feel stuck. I’m too nervous to take on anything complex because if I screw it up, I’m out of transportation.

I also don’t have friends or family who are into cars, and I can’t realistically go to trade school just for a hobby. My uncle owns a shop but he is 3 hours away.

How did y'all get to the level you are at?

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kograkthestrong@reddit

Pick up a mechanics special, a Haynes or chillton repair manual, and get started.

MisanthropicSocrates@reddit

If you e owned a DSM for seven years you’re already a mechanic.

DoloSteadyCruising@reddit

Baaaaaah 🤣

Emergency_Tennis_167@reddit

Power tools. Get an impact wrench+deep socket set, electric ratchet, 3 ton jack+ stands, torque wrench set. Just remember that impact wrench is loosen things and electric ratchet is tighten while torque wrench is to verify.

Original_Bicycle5696@reddit

There isn't an answer other than repetition, and that requires at least two. Either a pos to fix and learn on, or buying a car to learn a repair and flip. Always need a ride to the parts store too. Some guys fix one up and drive it, while fixing up another to sell and repeat that process. Keeps the cost down on your vehicle expense if you are profitable too.

Even-Further@reddit

I learned by working in the auto industry after high school. Started at a German independent repair shop then got into auto paint. Eventually changed careers and left the auto industry. Find a cheap beater car. Having 2 cars is a game changer. Sometimes people will give away a car if it doesn't run or needs too much work.

Affectionate_Bed9705@reddit

Focus on under the hood work. NO SUSPENSION. I found out the hard way.

itchybiscut9273@reddit

Just buy a pos for $500 and rebuild it. Take it all apart and clean it up, put it back together. Use YouTube to help. Aim for something common so there will be videos. Speed doesn't matter for hobbiests, but simple organization makes a big difference.

dxrey65@reddit

That's about it. Just about every decent mechanic I've worked with over the years started out about like me - I was too broke to buy a reliable car, so I'd have to figure out how to keep my old beater running. Then there are always other old beaters around that smarter people don't want to deal with and are happy to get rid of; I think I had six at one point, in various stages of disrepair.

Lopsided-Public8205@reddit

DIY auto repair is definitely stressful when it's 10pm on a Sunday, shits gone south and you have to get to work the next day. My father did it out of necessity. I do it as a hobby, always have two cars, and hope they don't both break down at the same time.

nopester24@reddit

Buy a project car

30thTransAm@reddit

It was a hobby I made a job. It was a mistake. However after 15 years there's not much I cannot do the trade off is I just don't want to do any of it. If you want to get more experience you'll need another car and then either make the other car the project and maintain the Monte Carlo or buy a reliable dd and make the Monte Carlo the project. Id go the second route as the 3.8 is easy to maintain and modify. You can top swap it and put the supercharger from the newer body style on it or sink a few thousand dollars in it and procharge it. I haven't looked in the last 10 years but back when I was into then you could buy really nice heads and a procharger kit for 5/6k. Good luck!

potato_potahhhtoe@reddit

You have a career, you could get a second car and that becomes a project or a new daily if needed. I lived with my parents while I had my daily which became a project as well when I needed to do some major work on it, but I was able to borrow one their cars when needed while my car was being worked on. On another note, I went to trade school, which helped with some mechanical skills and I was always into cars, although that wasn't the career path I ended up choosing. While I learned a lot from school, I also learned a lot just from videos and researching too and that's really all you need. School taught me a lot but I didn't get a chance to tear apart a car like I did on my own at home. Took my first engine out of the car on my own knowing some automotive basics and then just following videos/forums - same aspect as putting new furniture together or building a lego set, just follow the instructions closely. A lot of stuff you can find online and diy as long as you have the tools.

sun-kissedgirlie@reddit

Become a mobile mechanic! Get some business cards from Etsy or Canva and start talking to strangers about your new business.

You can't just become a mechanic by writing it on a business card.

Amarathe_@reddit

Sure you can. Mechanic isnt a title like doctor its just a job anyone can do. Maybe not well but they can do it

not-a-toad@reddit

Watch a lot of YouTube videos that interest you where they actually go into detail of what they’re doing. Biggest thing that developed my skills was buying POS cars that i loved so that i was drawn to fixing them even when things seemed bleak.

Biggest thing id recommend for a project car is you HAVE to get something you love, otherwise you’re naturally just gonna wanna sell it when things get hard, and times like that are when I’ve learned the most id say.

Melodic-Picture48@reddit

Keep learning, we all started somewhere. The more you practice then the better you'll get. When you do something enough times, theoretically you'll get the hang of it. I just did those same kind of car repairs on my own cars enough time that it becomes familiar and you learn tricks to make the jobs easier to do the more you do them. Be patient and just keep practicing.

Puzzleheaded_You4586@reddit

Check out local community colleges, they often offer auto mechanics classes. You can take them as non-accredited just to learn from real mechanics. A friend right out of high school took auto body at a local community college and worked on his 69 Mustang in class.

frikkinfai@reddit

Get a second car, something clapped out and dirt cheap. You'll be more willing to tackle a major project on it knowing it doesn't have to be done so you can get to work the next day. The peace of mind that it can sit on jack stands for months at a time will give you a willingness to work on it.

NightKnown405@reddit

It takes five years working full time to become competent at most of the typical stuff. It takes twenty years working full time and attending training to begin to master the trade. Being a weekend warrior on your own car will get you an introduction to the work but that's about it.

Owned my daily driver car for 7 years now.

The deepest I've been into it, was replacing valve stems, their respective seals, and a few other "while-you're-in-there's" with different engine components along the way.

I'm a collision repair technician, but still, we don't rebuild motors in our industry. At all. So this post still applies to me.

I literally just bought an E-Ride to commute to work, I bought a repair manual at Auto Zone, I bought tools for the job and I followed the exact steps written in the book, or from online forums.

7 years later, I'm still daily driving my 1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse GS-T, and have absolutely ZERO intention of stopping any time soon lol.

Good luck with your sick ride!

Dirty_Butler@reddit

A lot of community colleges have automotive classes. My dad’s a mechanic and jokes about YouTube certified but I’ve learned a lot from watching video on small stuff I didn’t want to bother him with.

You can learn through youtube